As It Is
by drufan
Summary: Tag to Vegas, but not a fix it story. That is a warning. There were differences and similarites. But it's time for Rodney to go back to Atlantis and his life.


**As It Is**

The gym bag full of money still sat on the front seat of the _Camaro_. Some of the bills were singed from the air strike and the resulting fire, but it was intact, all of it. The money punctuated the differences between the Sheppard he met on Atlantis and this one. The car revealed the similarities. The _Camaro _was here and not in Mexico.

Rodney looked down at his dusty shoes, studying each minuscule grain of sand, and whispered, "Told you not to engage." The Sheppard he had met would have done the same thing; he was sure if it. It was like telling him not to breathe.

The man laying a couple of feet away was a broken and forlorn individual. Life had dealt him some very hard blows and he had just lived day to day, not believing in much of anything except in the deterioration of the human race. Rodney had brought Detective John Sheppard into the Secret believing that he might get a glimpse of that other Sheppard. And by God, he did.

This Sheppard had been masquerading as a member of the cellophane-- someone who seemed to be of no consequence in this version of reality. In the end, he proved himself. Unfortunately, he did not seem to have the luck of the colonel.

Staring at the sheet covered body, Rodney felt a not wholly inappropriate sadness for someone he had just met but had thoroughly researched. He felt like he had missed out on something incredible. The team he had met was dynamic. The colonel and his counterpart were very good friends. The other two (Teyla of Athos and a Runner named Ronon Dex) meshed like family. Yes, he was pretty sure he had missed out on something. Captain Ford was gung-ho, but Rodney could not play chess with the young man.

On the other hand, he had used this Sheppard purposely and without much remorse. The detective had had the inside track on the rogue Wraith and Rodney could not let that pass. He used what resources were available to stop the threat to Earth and Sheppard happened to be one of them, because someone at the bottom, with very few places left to fall, was a perfect mark, and damn insightful.

Las Vegas had been a goldmine of exploitation. Rodney had recognized that spark of altruism beneath the slumped shoulders and rumpled jacket. John Sheppard needed a chance for redemption. He also could not leave a threat well enough alone. Rodney had used it expertly.

"It's time to go, Rodney," Radek murmured in his ear from orbit.

"I suppose, now that our Earth-side job is done, Colonel Sobel will want to get underway as soon as possible?"

Radek didn't answer. Rodney wasn't really expecting one.

Upon his return to Atlantis, he would look for more Runners. Ronon had eluded him or he could be dead. But Rodney didn't think so. Hopefully, a chance for a new life for Ronon was not out of reach like it was for Sheppard. Anyway, the Runners were a great source of intelligence and perceptiveness. They loved the fight and they asked few questions when it came to attacking and killing the Wraith.

Teyla had stayed with her people and wanted no part of the expedition besides trade and the occasional introductions to other peoples. He would ask her again to join the coalition forming among many of the worlds. Maybe this time she would accept.

But there had been something definitely appealing about the relationship of that other McKay and Sheppard. He wouldn't lament its loss or failure here, but he was disappointed it would never get off the ground. Maybe Sheppard could have joined Atlantis as an independent contractor-- but that point was moot.

In any case, he was glad he had met this watered down version, but it was time to move on. He would go back to Atlantis, kiss his wife, and immerse himself in whatever needed fixing. His team would welcome him back and life would go on.

Rodney's Atlantis had survived without Sheppard, Teyla, Ronon and him as a unit. Apparently, Earth was a different matter. It seemed it needed John Sheppard to save it. Some things were universal and constant. Some things just seemed right.

As the sky darkened, Rodney wondered if John Sheppard had looked up at the burgeoning stars in his last moments and wanted to go there. He wondered if he finally saw purpose in his life. He wondered if he died content. He had deserved it in the end.

"Good-bye, John. In another life, perhaps we'll meet again."

The _Daedalus _beamed him up and Rodney left John Sheppard behind.


End file.
